Arbor Glen in Bridgewater offered safe haven to hurricane victims

Arbor Glen in Bridgewater served as a make-shift “safe haven” for a lot of people affected by the storms, including family and friends of residents and employees, as well as staff from Somerset Medical Center in nearby Somerville.

A commercial backup generator provided power during the extensive outages, the community found spaces for people to stay, and residents volunteered and helped out in any way possible.

The retirement community turned to some of the latest social media platforms to keep loved ones informed and comforted throughout the storm. Without phone or internet service like so many others, Arbor Glen found ways to use Twitter and Facebook to keep family of residents and staff updated.

Resident Marie Malone’s son, who is living out of the country, was worried after the storms and unable to reach her by phone. He said it was a great relief to find and follow Twitter updates from the community and know she was safe and secure.

Superstorm Sandy also made many older adults rethink staying in their homes. Arbor Glen saw an uptick in people come in (walk-ins) and inquire about living at the retirement community.

Arbor Glen did suffer some storm damage, but remained fully operational. Unfortunately, some of the staff became homeless. In the ongoing recovery efforts, the community will continue to help those in need.